NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — The University of Iowa Hawkeyes and #19 University of Missouri Tigers will face off in the 27th Annual TransPerfect Music City Bowl at Nissan Stadium at the end of the month, officials announced.
“On behalf of our Board of Directors, staff and volunteers we look forward to welcoming the Hawkeyes and Tigers to Music City for our 27th annual TransPerfect Music City Bowl,” Scott Ramsey, TransPerfect Music City Bowl president and CEO, said. “This year’s game will showcase two teams that won a combined 17 games in the two strongest conferences in the country and we expect a great turnout of fans flooding Nashville.”
According to organizers, the matchup — which will take place at 1:30 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 30, with national coverage on ESPN — marks the Tigers’ debut in the TransPerfect Music City Bowl and the second appearance from the Hawkeyes after their 21-0 win against the University of Kentucky Wildcats in 2022. The anticipated game comes after a 2020 cancellation due to COVID-19 concerns.
TransPerfect President and Co-CEO Phil Shawe commented, “2024 has been a memorable year of college football in the Big Ten and SEC. We’re thrilled to welcome the University of Iowa and University of Missouri in Nashville for what will certainly be an exciting matchup between two programs with rich histories.”
The Hawkeyes' 2024 football season reportedly highlighted the team’s defensive prowess and gritty performance under Kirk Ferentz, college football's longest-tenured head coach. Though the offense faced some challenges, Iowa saw significant victories over Nebraska and Wisconsin, allowing them to finish bowl-eligible for 12 consecutive seasons.
“We are thrilled to accept an invitation to play in the 2024 TransPerfect Music City Bowl against Missouri,” said Ferentz. “On behalf of the Hawkeye football program, I want to say thank you to Scott Ramsey and the Board of Directors for picking us to represent the Big Ten Conference. Nashville is a great city and the TransPerfect Music City Bowl staff does an incredible job putting on a first-class event. I believe our fans will be excited about the chance to see this Hawkeye team play one more time at a venue not too far from Iowa. As a staff, we are looking forward to three more weeks together with this group of players. The TransPerfect Music City Bowl is a great opportunity for our team to compete one more time to cap off the 2024 season. We can’t wait to get there.”
The Tigers had a standout year for football, highlighted by an impressive 9-3 record and their first back-to-back nine-win seasons since 2013-14, according to bowl officials. Head Coach Eliah Drinkwitz's leadership, along with key players' efforts, helped Mizzou achieve its fourth consecutive bowl eligibility, finish 5-3 in SEC play, and secure a #19 ranking.
“It’s an honor to be selected to participate in the TransPerfect Music City Bowl. We’re looking forward to the opportunity to play at Nissan Stadium in Nashville. It’s a great market for our alumni and fanbase and I know we’ll have an excited crowd,” stated Drinkwitz. “Our team has worked extremely hard to achieve this goal, and we are looking forward to preparing and playing against a terrific Iowa squad. I’m just thankful I get to coach this special group of men for one more game this season.”
For more information on the TransPerfect Music City Bowl and tickets purchases, follow this link.